Love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

1 Timothy 1 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope,

² To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

³ As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, ⁴ nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith. ⁵ But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. ⁶ For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, ⁷ wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.

⁸ But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, ⁹ realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers ¹⁰ and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, ¹¹ according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, ¹³ even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; ¹⁴ and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. ¹⁶ Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. ¹⁷ Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁸ This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, ¹⁹ keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. ²⁰ Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.

In today’s text Paul says:  The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.  This is proceeded by him saying: instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.   The genealogies are no longer vital concerning who are the children of God. Salvation is by faith, believing that Jesus died for our sins. Romans 8:16-17 says:  The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.  No one is given an inheritance in the kingdom of God because of who their parents, grandparents or their ancestors are. Each one individually receives through the administration of God’s grace by faith, receiving and believing the demonstration of God’s love in the cross of Christ His Son.

Paul’s statement, The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.   Is followed by him saying:  Some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion,  wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.  How many today make confident assertions about matters that they do not understand? How many love to discuss and debate scripture, without understanding what it really says and means? You can probably find 20 people who will make assertions and debate scripture for every one who has actually read and meditated on it.  In his second letter to Timothy, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Paul says:   All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;  so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.  It is important that we understand that it is “all” scripture. We need to view scripture in the context of scripture, not as individual or isolated verses. God does not change His mind, so those who create doctrines, which conflict with the entirety of scripture, based only on an isolated verse or portion of scripture, are either deceived or deceivers. Their discussions and assertions are fruitless. If we are to base our faith on only one thing, it should be as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5:  When I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.  From Genesis to Revelation, all scripture reveals the plan of God to overcome sin through the administration of His grace, in love, through the power of the cross.

Paul says:  We know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men…  whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.  The enforcement of the law and its consequences are not for or rather against those who are obedient to the law. The fine for speeding has no consequence to the one who does not speed, but is only enacted against those who do not obey.  The one who has faith in the glorious gospel of God, the one who believes the good news that Jesus died for our sins, receives grace and is covered in the righteousness of Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says:  God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. God’s justice is not as much revealed by the fact that some will be punished for disobedience as it is that all are offered His grace.

May Paul’s declaration and prayer be our declaration and prayer today: I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. Amen.